"This ain't my first rodeo"......(attributed to Vern Gosden)

So, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but, I used to be a rodeo photographer.....I have boxes of photos of cowboys and their rides. It's amazing to just sit and listen to them talk about their rides....they can remember every second of an 8 second ride they made 5 years in the past, longer for some cowboys. This simply amazes me, especially if they are bull riders, because most days they get the sense and memory knocked right out of them. I love cowboys...it is my weakness. I could go on and on about their virtues, but, I'll save that for another post.

This photo inspired me tonight because of what lies ahead of me for tomorrow. I like the thought of having a couple of bull fighters on my side....more politically correct, "Cowboy protection". I used to hang out at a ranch in Galt, CA, where an old retired rodeo cowboy used to preach the Gospel and teach bull riding. It was pretty cool because you could be right there, over the chute or in the arena (at your own risk of course), but, I would go out there with my camera and shoot pics of young up and comers and get up close to the action. I usually stood right outside the chute gate, facing the bull and the rider as they shot out of the chute.....many times I had to run and jump a fence in order to escape danger....at one point I even had my own bull fighter, who, most times just yelled at me to run.....but, he was there to keep an eye on me....and he did a good job. I loved hanging out at the ranch and listening to the boys recount their adventures and near misses. It was always an adrenaline rush, whether I was in the arena or standing over the chute.

I guess I'm looking for the inspiration to get back to that place where I didn't really worry about the danger I was courting in the arena. As danger goes, tomorrow is going to be extremely controlled, unlike bull riding and I'm not worried about the outcome, only wondering if I can find a way, after going under the knife again to extend the warranty, so to speak, to let go of my fear and challenge my heart and it's capacity. It's time I started making my own rides (blue girl)and regaling y'all with every second of the ride.....

Peace
♥